May 7, 2018 Volume xxiv, #18

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”
—William Shakespeare (British playwright, actor, and poet, 1564-1616)

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What’s in a name? Target Building Materials forges its own direction

WINDSOR, Ont. — Best name for a retailer ever? Well, maybe not. But despite continual confusion with the like-named general merchandise retailer in the U.S., Target Building Materials in Canada has not only endured, it’s established itself as an important supplier for trades and commercial projects around the city of Windsor, Ont., where it has been doing business since 1967. That, despite pressure at one time from Target in the U.S. to give up its storied name.

Owner Greg Drouillard explains that the business was started by his father. Greg joined a few years after—reluctantly at first—in 1974. But over time, he gradually took over and along the way was able to drive growth, stay competitive, and carve a strong commercial niche. He has also done it with a sense of humour, such as when he had a comical photo mural put on the door of a delivery truck.

And now, as the housing market picks up in Windsor, Target is benefitting from that boom and sales of insulation and construction specialty products is a focus for the store. But business has also expanded to important commercial contracts. He’s hopeful that he can get some business from an intended hospital project that is just down the road from the store. In addition, two international bridge crossings are being planned (Windsor sits across the St. Clair River from Detroit).

His latest project? To beef up the back end of the store. He has 30,000 square feet in the warehouse and 2,500 of that are being converted to a showroom. The area will be filled with new products, something, Drouillard says, his store is “thirsty” for.

“When I get to a trade show, I run right to the new product section,” he says. “I don’t want to be a me-too.” The expanded showroom will put more of those new products in front of the contractor customers. “Contractors want to touch and feel. It’s show and tell. They are as eager for that experience as consumers. We have to be a resource for what’s new and relevant for them.”

Another important segment is architects and specifiers who will spec the specialty products that Target carries. “They’ve become almost as important to us as the contractors.”

Oh, and as for Target in the U.S., which made a great noise about entering Canada, only to retreat just two years later: “Target put me through six years of living hell. It cost a lot in lawyer fees before they finally settled on ‘co-existence’,” he says wryly.

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B.C. dealers’ association gears up for 80th anniversary at Harrison Hot Springs

SURREY, B.C. — The Building Supply Industry Association of British Columbia (BSIA) is celebrating 80 years in existence with an anniversary event at Harrison Hot Springs Resort on July 5 and 6.

Organizers say the purpose of the event is to bring the province’s building supply industry together in an environment that enables association members and supporters to network, relax, and get inspired. The event will also have a table-top trade show component featuring new products. “We did a trade show in the past, but we’ve tried a fresh approach this time,” says Scott Emo of PowerHouse Building Solutions in Surrey, B.C. Emo is on the BSIA board and heads up the anniversary event committee.

Attendees will be given the red carpet treatment, literally, as they enter the gala. Table-top displays will feature products and services by sponsoring companies along the way as they enter the meet-and-greet area. The dinner that evening will include the BSIA’s Orion Award winners, and a keynote—TED Talk style—by B.C. business leader, author, and speaker Peter Legge. “We’re trying to keep it as upbeat as we could and be different,” Emo points out.

Day two will feature a series of leisure activities, starting with a continental breakfast, and include a golf tournament and sturgeon fishing.

The small size of the host village of Harrison Hot Springs will ensure that delegates can interact both on and offsite. “It’s really just a chance to bring everyone together and make it entertaining,” says Emo.

(For more information about the BSIA’s 80th Anniversary gala, please click here.)

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High-tech barbecues, colourful accessories coming to Canadian Tire this spring

TORONTO — Canadian Tire offered the media a chance to view its new Canvas backyard living line for summer 2018 late last month. The company hosted the event in a showroom in midtown Toronto and partnered with the Toronto Flower Market to help decorate the space.

On display were vignettes of the line’s new patio furniture and accessories. In keeping with the previous year’s focus on outdoor living, this spring’s update continued to put an emphasis on fashionable-but-functional products.

Tracy Platt, Canadian Tire’s design manager, was on hand to walk visitors through the line’s latest offerings. To complement the outdoor seating for this year, Platt’s team designed a lower-to-the-ground dining table, which is meant to meet the height of cozy outdoor chairs and couches.

“Being much more comfortable when you’re dining outdoors is really driving the trends we’re seeing,” says Platt.

Also on hand was David Jackman, the category manager for barbecues at Canadian Tire. The Grill Turismo, introduced by Canadian Tire last year, was updated here with a stainless-steel version. Both feature interchangeable bezels, and are equipped with a convertible valve system, making it possible for consumers to convert from propane to natural gas.

For barbecue accessories, the company is again promoting wood-bristle brushes. The bristles have the same rigidity as stainless steel, but will simply burn up if they become detached, rather than posing the threat of accidental ingestion or injury from wire-bristle brushes. New this year was a paddle-shaped wood barbecue scraper. With use, the wood moulds to the grate of the barbecue to become a custom cleaning tool.

Platt adds everything on display at the showroom was designed to help Canadians make the most of the too-short summer season in style. “People really want to be comfortable in their outside spaces.”

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eRetailer Summit sets agenda, and sights, on bolstering online selling



CHICAGO — The Home Improvement eRetailer Summit has set its agenda and its roster of speakers and panelists representing a broad range of experts. They will include progressive retailers thriving in the e-trenches, retail influencers in the media world, and top researchers.

The Summit, which is being held November 7 to 9 at the Hotel Monaco in downtown Chicago, will provide in-depth information, analysis, and advice on how retailers and suppliers can leverage the power of the internet to reach more customers. What makes this event different, too, is that it not only presents a wide view of the e-commerce landscape, but also homes in on important trends—all with a focus on the home improvement industry.

The agenda was shaped by the Summit’s six-person Advisory Council, whose members come from such leading e-commerce sellers as SustainableSupply.com, SupplyHog.com, Organizeit.com, HSN.net, Sears.com and Kmart.com, and Table + Dine. Brian Fricano, CEO of SustainableSupply.com, is also a confirmed speaker.

The Summit’s keynote speaker is Ryan DeChance of The Grommet (recently purchased by Ace Hardware), which identifies and gives exposure on its web platform to innovative products across 16 consumer categories.

Retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and industry professionals who are interested in learning how to increase their home-improvement online presence should attend. For more information and to request an invitation to the Summit, please contact Sonya Ruff Jarvis, the event’s founder.

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Robert Perreault has been appointed vice president of sales and marketing at Colonial Elegance Inc. He will report directly to President and CEO Pierot Drouin. Perrault will be responsible for all sales, marketing, and innovation operations at Colonial Elegance. With 30 years of experience at both national and international levels, he has held sales leadership positions at Cobra Anchor, Belanger UPT, and, most recently, Artika for Living. (514-640-1212; rperreault@colonialelegance.com)

Industry veteran Martin Ross (previously of Tree Island, Taymor, and CanWel) is now pursuing a career as a consultant with the management consulting group Claritee. In this role, he and his associates assist owners of medium-sized businesses, not only with their marketing efforts, but by working with senior managers to help them meet their long-term goals. Ross will gladly engage any company looking for improvement through a call and discuss what he and his team can do to assist them in achieving success. (778-862-3079; mrmartinross@gmail.com)

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CLASSIFIED ADS

REGIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS WANTED 

RONA AND ACE CANADA ARE LOOKING FOR REGIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS IN WESTERN CANADA, ONTARIO, QUEBEC, AND ATLANTIC MARKETS 

• Help continue to build our strong dealer network and marketshare 

• Create strategies and direction for regional development 

and long-term growth 

• Identify and develop and develop business opportunities including new investors, existing dealer expansion, conversion prospects and acquisitions 

• Strong selling, interpersonal and communication skills required 

• Must be able to build relationships with prospective customers 

• Retail experience and understanding of the dealer market preferred 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT : rona.ca/career-rona-ace

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